UAMS Holds Investiture for Chair in Genitourinary Oncology

By todd

Sept. 13, 2005 |

LITTLE ROCK – Graham F. Greene, M.D., the only genitourinary oncologist in Arkansas, was formally invested today as The Robert Woods Bass Chair in Genitourinary Oncology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

In collaboration with clinical scientists at the Arkansas Cancer Research Center (ACRC) at UAMS, Greene has worked to ensure that men in Arkansas have access to state-of-the-art treatment for prostate cancer, including real-time brachytherapy. This advanced form of radiation therapy, available in Arkansas only at UAMS, has fewer complications than traditional radiation therapy because it can more precisely target the cancer and protect surrounding healthy tissue.

Recognized as a leader in promoting early detection of prostate cancer through screening and education, Greene supported the passage of the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Act of 1999 and helped found the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Greene also has developed nerve-sparing surgical techniques for radical prostatectomy and orthotopic ileo-neobladders (a form of urinary diversion) and has collaborated to develop new methods of treating advanced renal cell carcinoma. He is widely regarded for his treatment of testicular cancers and metastatic disease.

“This endowment is a fitting honor for Dr. Greene, a highly respected surgeon who has devoted himself to the development of new therapies and strategies that positively impact the survival of countless Arkansas men,” said James Y. Suen, M.D., director of the ACRC. “We are grateful to the friends and family of Roberts Woods Bass for their generosity and foresight that will benefit research and treatment for years to come.”

Greene received his bachelor’s degree with honors in biology from AcadiaUniversity in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada, and his medical degree from DalhousieUniversity in Halifax, Nova Scotia. While at DalhousieUniversity, he completed a rotating internship and residency in urology.

Before coming to Arkansas in 1997, Greene was junior faculty associate at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. While there, he served a clinical fellowship in urology under Andrew C. von Eschenach, M.D., now director of the National Cancer Institute. He is board certified through the Royal College of Surgeons (Canada), the American Board of Urology and the AmericanCollege of Surgeons.

An Arkansas native, Bass attended the University of Arkansas where he graduated with a degree in business administration. After college, he served in the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer with the 1st Battalion, 34th Armored Division at Fort Lewis, Washington.

He then returned to Little Rock and began his career with Dabbs Sullivan Trulock Company as a stockbroker. At the time of his death Dec. 30, 2000, Bass was senior vice president of Morgan Stanley.

To honor Bass’ memory, his family and friends established the Robert Woods Bass Chair. An endowed chair is the highest academic honor a university can bestow on its faculty. A chair can honor the memory of a loved one or may honor a person’s accomplishments. It is supported with gifts of $1 million or more.

UAMS is the state’s only comprehensive academic health center, with five colleges, a graduate school, a medical center, five centers of excellence and a statewide network of regional centers. UAMS has about 2,200students and 660 residents and is the state’s largest public employer with almost 9,000employees. UAMS and its affiliates have an economic impact in Arkansas of $4.3billion a year.